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This month, Express's secretive food reviewer opines on his pineapple-ful chomp at The Five Oaks.
Anonymous, unpaid, hard-to-please and gluten-free critic Harry Smiles had to say...
As I write this, I have just come back from a lovely walk in the sunshine with a friend which involved sampling out the local sundae selection. We passed a few pubs and restaurants on our way and the terraces were full of smiling patrons enjoying themselves… isn’t it nice to be back to (almost) normal?
Being a hermit, I’ve never much cared for busy restaurants or having to juggle my way through the crowd to get my order in at the bar. But after months of both restaurants and pubs being closed, I do admit I was looking forward to ‘going out-out’ again. So, when the opportunity came, I had to think long and hard about which venue I would visit next… should I go for a ‘valeur sûre’ I knew wouldn’t disappoint or try out something new?
While I would have normally banked on an old favourite, the serious case of cabin fever I was experiencing made me feel adventurous and I decided to venture into uncharted gustatory territory and booked a table at The Five Oaks.
Pictured: The Five Oaks... in Five Oaks.
As ever, my decision was highly influenced by a careful inspection of local menus whose sole purpose was to ensure the presence of gluten-free dishes.
While The Five Oaks menu did not mention any, I was confident enough, having examined the ingredient list closely, that some of the dishes were indeed gluten-free and had that confirmed when I made my reservation.
From starter to dessert – after four months of homecooked meals, I simply HAD to order three courses - the experience was deliciously tasty, with no gluten in sight – the staff very diligently made sure of it!
For my ‘hors d’oeuvre’ I opted for the smoked salmon - ‘sans’ sourdough bread obviously. Accompanied by a remoulade, capers and chives, it was a perfect opener. Simple for some, but it hit all the right spots.
Pictured: Simple yet effective - smoked salmon without sourdough bread.
For the main, my stomach felt irresistibly drawn to the ‘wholegrain mustard and honey roasted ham hock’.
I don’t remember ever ordering ham in a restaurant or pub, but now I am seriously considering all of my life choices because it was so good. I feel I have deprived myself of some very tasty pleasures in the past.
Cooked to perfection, it melted in my mouth. The sweetness of the pineapple paired remarkably with the mustard and honey.
With a side of chips and two fried eggs, it was more than I could handle and I must confess here that, yes, I did ask for a doggy bag – which is apparently what everyone who orders the ham hock requests, so keep your judgment. (Side note: it was definitely as tasty the morning after and arguably made my lunchtime sandwich ten times better.)
Pictured: I went ham for this ham - wholegrain mustard and honey roasted ham and hock.
As full as I felt after this fantastibulous main, I asked to see the dessert menu and my tastebuds twinkled at the possibility of another roasted pineapple – served with coconut ice cream, passionfruit, lime and Almond Praline – so I happily obliged.
At first, I was a bit disappointed when it arrived – I never expected to be served a full pineapple, but I thought just one slice was a bit stingy. With each tasty bite I took thought, I quickly forgot my disappointment. The flavours mixed together perfectly and it was a nice, refreshing note to end the meal with.
With most places only offering ice cream as a gluten-free dessert, I certainly appreciated the thought and creativity that went into sprucing it up. If you ask me, more places should provide fruit as a dessert option, with or without ice cream. You can create flavoursome pairings without too much effort and it’s perfect when you have had a heavy meal but still want to end on a sweet note.
Pictured: And more pineapple for dessert…
Whether you eat gluten or not, the Five Oaks is definitely a great place to visit for pub food with a twist.
They have all the staples you would want from a pub but also some more left-field options that are sure to please those who like a bit of an adventure at the tip of their fork. Harry highly recommends it.
